AskYourPdf ChatGPT plugin – How to Guide

By David McLeod | Updated on July 31, 2023

AskYourPdf ChatGPT Plugin

The AskYourPDF ChatGPT plugin is a comprehensive solution that bridges the gap between users and the information they seek. Its capabilities include downloading and storing PDFs from a URL to directly retrieve documents using a unique ID.

However, the greatest benefit lies in its ability to scan through stored PDFs and extract summaries and answers to user queries or retrieve specific details, pinpointing the exact page where the relevant information was found.

Accessing The askYourPDF ChatGPT Plugin

To fully utilize the features of AskYourPDF, it is crucial to ensure that the plugin is properly loaded. There are a few steps you need to take to ensure that the plugin functions correctly with your Prompts and requests. First and foremost, it should be installed and activated, and I have covered this process in a separate post Click Here to read my in-depth Guide.

Once completed you should have an option that looks like this.

AskYourPDF

If you can see this you are all set.

What Features Do You Get With The AskYourPDF ChatGPT Plugin?

  1. PDF Download and Storage: The plugin is equipped with the ability to download a PDF document from a provided URL and subsequently store its content in a vector database. This functionality is facilitated through the “download_pdf_api_download_pdf_post” function.
  2. Document Retrieval: In instances where a document ID (doc_id) is provided by the user, the plugin can directly retrieve the document from the database, eliminating the need for manual search and retrieval.
  3. Information Extraction: One of the key capabilities of the plugin is its ability to scan through the stored PDFs and extract answers to user queries or retrieve specific details. This is achieved through the “perform_query_query_post” function. For the user’s convenience, the plugin also specifies the page number where the relevant information was found.
  4. Error Handling and User Guidance: The plugin is designed with robust error-handling mechanisms. In the event of an error during the API query, the user is guided to download their document first, then manually upload it to a specified website. Upon completion of the upload, the user is instructed to copy the resulting doc_id and paste it back into the chat for further interaction.

For instance, researchers can use the AskYourPDF plugin to quickly find specific information within large academic papers or reports, saving them valuable time.

Example Prompt

This is the prompt I used to test the capability to read PDFs,

Give me a summary of https://royalsociety.org/~/media/Royal_Society_Content/policy/projects/climate-evidence-causes/climate-change-evidence-causes.pdf

Chat GPT gave me a 325-word summary from a 36-page PDF file, I could equally have asked it to find me any excerpt or subject and it would have come back to the page where the information was detailed (see prompts below).

Please note if you have any issues you can download the PDF to a folder on your google drive, set your folder share setting to anyone with a link, then use the link instead of the URL.

Similarly, professionals who need to analyze business reports or legal documents can use the plugin to find relevant information quickly and efficiently.

10 Use Cases

The AskYourPDF ChatGPT plugin offers a vast number of applications across various sectors due to its ability to extract information from PDF documents.

  • Academic Research: Researchers can use the plugin to extract specific information from lengthy academic papers, saving time and effort in manual searching.
  • Legal Proceedings: Lawyers and legal professionals can use the plugin to quickly find relevant details from extensive legal documents, aiding in case preparation and research.
  • Medical Field: Healthcare professionals can use the plugin to extract specific information from medical research papers, aiding in diagnosis, treatment planning, and staying updated with the latest medical advancements.
  • Business Analysis: Business analysts can use the plugin to extract key data from business reports or market research documents, facilitating informed decision-making.
  • Government Agencies: Government officials can use the plugin to quickly find specific information from policy documents, aiding in policy analysis and development.
  • Journalism: Journalists can use the plugin to extract specific details from source documents, aiding in fact-checking and report writing.
  • Education: Educators can use the plugin to extract key points from educational materials or research papers, aiding in curriculum development and lesson planning.
  • Library Services: Librarians can use the plugin to quickly find specific information from a vast array of documents, improving library services and user experience.
  • Publishing Industry: Editors and publishers can use the plugin to extract specific details from manuscripts, aiding in editing and fact-checking processes.
  • Non-Profit Organizations: Non-profit organizations can use the plugin to extract key information from research papers or policy documents, aiding in advocacy work and program development.

10 ChatGPT Prompts to try out using the AskYourPDF plugin.

  • “Extract the methodology section from this research paper.”
  • “Find all instances of the term ‘defendant’ in this legal document.”
  • “Extract the section discussing the side effects of this medication from the medical paper.”
  • “Find the section discussing the market trends in this business report.”
  • “Extract the policy implications section from this government report.”
  • “Find all mentions of the interviewee’s name in this transcript.”
  • “Extract the summary of each chapter from this textbook.”
  • “Find all instances of the term ‘climate change’ in this collection of documents.”
  • “Extract the character descriptions from this manuscript.”
  • “Find the section discussing the impact of climate change on agriculture in this research paper.”
PDF analysis tool,

Team members can easily extract key insights, trends, or statistics from these documents, helping them make informed decisions about their marketing strategies, product development, and competitive positioning.

Likes And Dislikes:

Likes

  • Efficiency: The plugin can quickly scan through large PDF documents and extract specific information, saving users significant time and effort.
  • Accuracy: By using AI and machine learning algorithms, the plugin can accurately find and extract the requested information.
  • Ease of Use: The plugin is straightforward to use, requiring only a URL or document ID and a query from the user.
  • Versatility: The plugin can be used across various sectors, including academia, law, medicine, business, and more, making it a versatile tool for information extraction.

Dislikes

  • Dependence on Document Quality: The plugin’s performance may be affected by the quality of the PDF document. For instance, if the document is a scanned image or has poor formatting, the plugin may not be able to extract information as accurately.
  • Internet Requirement: The plugin requires an internet connection to function, as it needs to download the PDF document from a URL or retrieve it using a document ID. This could be a limitation in areas with poor or no internet connectivity.

AskYourPdf Conclusion,

The AskYourPdf ChatGPT plugin is a revolutionary tool that has significantly enhanced the way we interact with and extract information from PDF documents. Its robust capabilities, including downloading and storing PDFs, direct document retrieval using a unique ID, and precise information extraction, have made it an indispensable asset for various sectors.

The plugin’s ability to pinpoint the exact page where the relevant information is found is a testament to its precision and efficiency. Its robust error-handling mechanisms and user guidance further enhance its usability, making it a reliable tool for professionals and researchers alike.

The AskYourPdf ChatGPT plugin’s versatility is evident in its wide range of applications across sectors such as academia, law, medicine, business, government, journalism, education, library services, publishing, and non-profit organizations. Its ability to quickly and accurately extract specific information from extensive documents saves users significant time and effort, thereby increasing productivity and efficiency.

However, it’s important to note that the plugin’s performance may be affected by the quality of the PDF document and it requires an internet connection to function. Despite these limitations, the plugin’s benefits far outweigh its drawbacks, making it a valuable tool for information extraction.